The fashion industry is changing - faster than ever - as firms face intense pressure to produce more styles in less time, without losing sight of quality, fit and cost. On top of this, the growth of new fashion markets in emerging countries, and increasingly connected consumers, add additional challenges. Helping unravel this complexity is Lectra, which is focusing its expertise and software on making sure brands, retailers and manufacturers have the tools to deliver into the future.

Adidas Group has said speed to market will be a key competitive advantage for the German sporting goods giant over the next five years, as it looks to accelerate profit and sales growth. With this, the company is piloting automated production units closer to its core consumers to reduce lead times.

Gap CEO Glenn Murphy recently announced his decision to step down in February. He joined Gap as chief executive in 2007. Since then he has been on a mission to shake up the company's supply chain, introduce a wider and more fashionable product range, improve speed to market, and accelerate international expansion and omni-channel capabilities.

A long-standing investment between two Hong Kong based companies - Crystal Group and Pacific Textiles Holdings - to set up a new fabric mill in Vietnam is nearing completion. Add in Crystal Group's new garment manufacturing facilities, and the site is expected to be the largest vertical textile and garment operation in the country.

Brands and retailers seeking to use more organic cotton in their ranges over the next few years are likely to face a potential supply crisis as new figures show a 21% decline in organic cotton production last year.

Indian apparel exporters have demanded a series of favourable policy decisions from the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government while welcoming foreign buyers at the 53rd India International Garment Fair, held in New Delhi this week.

The growing hunger for ‘Made in the UK' products is finally translating into business for many UK textile and garment manufacturers, according to exhibitors at the inaugural Make it British ‘Meet the Manufacturer' sourcing event in London last week. While some believe the move is still in its infancy, others are looking to expand their production capacity in response to growth and new opportunities. Katie Smith takes a closer look.

Escalating anti-Chinese protests by thousands of workers in Vietnam have led to the suspension of production at a number of Chinese and Taiwanese garment and footwear plants in Binh Duong province in the south of the country.

The popularity of fast fashion retailers such as Forever 21, H&M and Zara has changed the way consumers shop for value on a global basis. And according to new research, continued expansion of these concepts is likely to put more pressure on speciality retailers in the US - particularly those in the teen space.

The idea of bringing mass-market garment production back to the UK is finally gaining momentum among manufacturers and retailers. But according to industry experts speaking at last week's ASBCI conference 'Making it in the UK - Ready or not?', there are still challenges to overcome if the 'Made in Britain' movement is to be successful once again. Katie Smith reports.